Westmeath fade as Keyes goal ensures Laois victory
Laois 1-23, Westmeath 0-17
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Laois centre-forward Jack Kelly makes a break as Westmeath’s Rory Keyes puts in a tackle, during Sunday’s NHL Div 2 game at TEG Cusack Park. Pics J McCauley. JOHN_MC_CAULEYImage 2 of 8
With Laois corner-forward Tomás Keyes grounded, Westemath’s Mark Cunningham gets the ball clear. JOHN_MC_CAULEYImage 3 of 8
Westmeath’s Naoise McKenna is closed down by Tomás Keyes. JOHN_MC_CAULEYImage 4 of 8
Westmeath’s Shane Williams is blocked by Mark Dowling of Laois. JOHN_MC_CAULEYImage 5 of 8
Shane Williams, Westmeath, under pressure from Mark Dowling and Cillian Dunne.Image 6 of 8
Westmeath’s Conor Shaw makes a clearance. JOHN_MC_CAULEYImage 7 of 8
Ciaran McEvoy, Laois, puts Westmeath’s David Williams under pressure. JOHN_MC_CAULEYImage 8 of 8
Laois’ Cillian Dunne is well hooked by Westmeath’s Eamonn Cunneen. JOHN_MC_CAULEYLaois finished with a decisive flourish to pull clear of Westmeath in an uninspiring National Hurling League Division 2 clash at TEG Cusack Park on Sunday.
In a game that was level at the interval, Laois’ superior execution, the scoring return of Tomás Keyes and a commanding third-quarter spell proved decisive, while Westmeath were punished for their lapses during a crucial period where control slipped from their grasp.
It looked promising for Westmeath when they led by two points (0-13 to 0-11) seven minutes into the second half, but Laois then assumed control, scoring 1-8 without reply in a dominant 11-minute period. An inexperienced and depleted Westmeath side never recovered.
Westmeath settled early. David Williams opened the scoring from a first-minute free before Ryan Mullaney replied from wing-back and Keyes edged Laois in front from a placed ball. Keyes added another from play on seven minutes, only for Josh Coll to respond from wing-forward as the early exchanges were played at a lively tempo.
Keyes clipped a ’65 on 10 minutes and, while Williams kept Westmeath ticking over from frees at 16 and 20 minutes, Laois always looked comfortable in their use of the ball. Mark Dowling struck from full-forward on 19 minutes and James Keyes split the posts from the wing after Fiachra C Fennell supplied the pass in a well-worked move.
Williams continued to punish indiscipline, converting a ’65 and another free, while Keyes replied in kind from a ’65 and a free at the other end. The game’s best passage from Westmeath arrived on 26 minutes when Jack Kearney, Kevin Regan and Eamonn Cunneen combined intelligently, Cunneen slipping the sliotar inside for Darragh McCormack to finish neatly. Regan followed up with a point after good approach play involving Shane Williams as Westmeath briefly seized momentum.
Yet Laois steadied through Keyes, who struck twice late in the half, the second a fine score from play, before Williams capitalised on a loose clearance to leave it 0-9 apiece at the break. Laois might have snatched a goal in added time but Mullaney failed to control Ian Shanahan’s inviting delivery and Westmeath survived, albeit unconvincingly.
The restart was explosive. Within 10 seconds Dean Ennis had Westmeath back in front, but Laois responded immediately through a long-range free from centre-back Padraig Delaney. Williams and Jack Gillen traded placed balls with Keyes as the sides went score for score in the early stages of the second period.
The contest swung decisively between the ninth and 19th minutes. Delaney surged forward to point after a Keyes pass before Keyes himself rifled to the net on 10 minutes, finishing clinically after Fennell’s assist. It was a major moment.
Keyes, increasingly influential, tacked on three frees and a point from play after a loose Westmeath clearance, while substitute Fionán Mahoney and James Keyes added to the growing tally. A further Keyes free, moved forward for dissent, extended the gap and underlined Laois’ control.
Westmeath battled gamely. A high catch from McCormack created the platform for Williams to convert after Ennis was fouled, and Williams continued to keep the scoreboard moving from placed balls. However, Laois’ grip remained firm. James Keyes struck again from play and, though Seán Jackson produced an excellent save to deny Tomás Keyes when clean through on 28 minutes, the margin was never fully threatened.
McCormack had a late goal chance for Westmeath but his powerful low drive drifted marginally wide, a moment that might have reignited the contest. Instead, Laois closed it out with authority. Substitute Stephen Maher showed impressive strength to score on 34 minutes and added another in added time to seal a deserved victory. Westmeath’s indiscipline cost them on the day, but they were depleted in the absence of players such as Killian Doyle, David O’Reilly, Johnny Bermingham and Eoin Keyes. Peter Clarke, returning from injury, was introduced in the second half.
Scorers – Laois: T Keyes 1-12 (7f; 0-2 65), J Keyes 0-4, P Delaney (1f), S Maher 0-2 each, R Mullaney, M Dowling, F Mahoney 0-1 each.
Westmeath: D Williams 0-12 (10f; 1 '65'), J Gillen (f), J Coll, D Ennis, D McCormack, K Regan 0-1 each.
Laois: Cathal Dunne; Ian Shanahan, Lee Cleere, Cody Comerford; Fiachra C Fennell, Padraig Delaney, Ryan Mullaney; David Dooley, Aidan Corby; James Keyes, Jack Kelly, Eoin Gaughan; Cillian Dunne, Mark Dowling, Tomás Keyes. Subs: Fionán Mahoney for Corby (ht), Ciaran McEvoy for Gaughan (45), Stephen Maher for Dunne (58), Jordan Walshe for Fennell (60), Padraic Dunne for Delaney (temp., 62-68), Cormac Byrne for Dowling (65).
Westmeath: Seán Jackson; Shane Williams, Conor Shaw, Conor McKeogh; Jack Gillen, Naoise McKenna, Rory Keyes; Mark Cunningham, Jack Kearney; Josh Coll, David Williams, Kevin Regan; Dean Ennis, Darragh McCormack, Eamonn Cunneen. Subs: Peter Clarke for Coll (ht), Andrew Shaw for McKeogh (48), Matthew Cunningham for Regan (49).
Referee: Eamonn Furlong (Wexford).